The document discusses the different ways to express ability or possibility in the past using modal verbs like "could", "was/were able to", and "managed to". It provides examples of how each is used, noting that "could" is used to ask for permission, make requests, or refer to ability in the past, while "was/were able to" and "managed to" are used when discussing what actually happened in a particular situation. It concludes with a series of sentences for the reader to practice filling in with the appropriate modal verb.

4. COULD
• Could can be used in many
different ways, to ask for
permission, to make a
request or to express ability
when referring to the past.
• Could I talk to you for a little?
• We could go to Cusco last
month but we didn’t.

5. WAS ABLE TO
• Was able to is sometimes
used as an alternative to
could when we are
discussing ability or
possibility.
• He was able to understand the tourist
when they spoke about Arequipa.

6. • By the time she was seven,
she could already speak three
languages.
• She started the guitar at the age of
eight and after only six months
she could play it quite well.
• Her brother Jack was an excellent
swimmer. He could win anybody in
his class.

7. BE ABLE TO / MANAGED TO
• We tend to use be able to or managed to if we are
talking about what happened in a particular situation
• Were you able to / Did you manage to speak to
him before he left home?
~ No, I'm sorry, I wasn't able to / didn't manage
to reach him.
• The fog came down and I wasn't able to /
didn't manage to get to the top of the mountain.
• My brother wanted to carry on, but we managed
to / were able to talk him out of it.

8. COMPLETE WITH COULD-BE ABLE TO- MANAGED TO
1. I ______ speak Italian really well when I lived in
Venice.
2. It was quite difficult but I ______ get it all done.
3.It was very frustrating. I ______ make her
understand what I wanted.
4.He ______ walk when he was only 8 months old.
5.For once, I ______ get up early today. It was an
effort!
6.I missed the last train but I ______ get a taxi.

9. 7.I ______ do the Times crossword ten years ago but I can't
nowadays. I'm getting too old!
8.I looked everywhere but I ______ find it.
9. There were very few seats left but I ______ get us two
tickets.
10.I ______ run much faster when I was 20.
11. I would have liked to have gone but I ______ get a ticket.
12. I ______ see what was wrong with what I had put but I kept
getting an error message.

10. 13. I ______ read when I was only four.
14. I don't speak much Russian but I ______ make the taxi driver
understand where I wanted to go.
15. I asked Tom if he ______ help.
16. How on earth did you ______ find it? It's just what I wanted.
17. Sorry I'm late. I ______ start my car.
18. When I was young, I ______ run fast but now I cannot.
19.I ______ find the correct answer anywhere.
20. In spite of his broken arm, he ______ come into the office for the
meeting.